![Leviathan Scuba](/img/default-banner.jpg)
- 115
- 996 159
Leviathan Scuba
United States
Registrace 17. 09. 2014
Forget the fluffy marketing language, let’s talk straight. We were tired of the corporate structure that emphasizes profit over people and micro-manages their people to extremes. So we cut up our ties, put on flip flops and jumped into the dive world. We don’t copy anyone! No flowery focus group marketing language here. We are divers and pretty damn good ones at that. We have the best job in the world making sure you have choices and the no B.S. truth about what you are spending your hard-earned money on. We tell it like it is. We lead, don't follow, with all our strength.
We are dedicated to protecting you from junk Dive equipment, by providing you with honest product reviews, resort reviews, and travel advice. Pretty much, if it is dive related we'll talk about it.
We are dedicated to protecting you from junk Dive equipment, by providing you with honest product reviews, resort reviews, and travel advice. Pretty much, if it is dive related we'll talk about it.
DIN or YOKE
Tank valves and regulators come in 2 different styles, how do you choose which one is for you?
Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba
Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba
Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
zhlédnutí: 613
Video
Common Mistakes New DIvers Make
zhlédnutí 817Před 14 dny
Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
Do You Need a Backup
zhlédnutí 767Před měsícem
Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
Shearwater Tern Product Review
zhlédnutí 2KPřed 2 měsíci
Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
When Is Enough Gear Enough
zhlédnutí 841Před 5 měsíci
Controversial topic but important. Do you really need that extra piece of gear. The truth about redundant gear. 00:00 Intro 00:32 Controversial subject 00:54 Redundant gear 01:20 Some scenarios redundant gear is necessary 01:52 People buy extra gear out of fear 02:26 Why a spare dive computer 03:25 Dive computer plus a gauge? 03:35 Real life normal scenario 03:52 Do you need a spare mask 05:20 ...
Deepest Coldest Worst Dives
zhlédnutí 316Před 5 měsíci
Freddy's deepest dive and coldest dive. 00:00 Intro 00:24 Deepest dive 00:52 Coldest dive 01:18 Worst conditions Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
It's Not Fear
zhlédnutí 700Před 5 měsíci
We weren't meant to breathe underwater. Yet when many adults try, they state they were afraid or anxious or claustrophobic. They begin to think Scuba diving might not be for them. Yet I explain that it wasn't fear they were experiencing. They just didn't know what to call it. 00:00 Intro 00:40 It wasn't fear you felt 00:55 You weren't meant to breath underwater 01:20 Fear claustrophobia anxiety...
Favorite Dive Sites
zhlédnutí 391Před 5 měsíci
Diving around the world at some of the best places left on earth. Where are Freddy's favorite sites. You might want to check them out before it is too late. Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
Best Tip for Regulator Service
zhlédnutí 582Před 5 měsíci
This tip affects any person that owns their own regulator. Not sure why nobody thought of this before. Game changer. 00:00 Intro 00:39 Supply chain issues 01:41 The solution 01:48 Spare parts kit Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
How is it owning a dive shop
zhlédnutí 354Před 6 měsíci
Candid answers to what it is like to own a dive shop. How has the dive world changed. 00:00 Intro 00:29 ever expect to own a dive shop 01:05 The perfect thing for you 01:17 view of dive world changed since? 01:47 How has owning a shop worked out for you 02:18 I get to share my passion Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
Cuba On Location
zhlédnutí 247Před 6 měsíci
On Location in Cuba. Short tour of Havana then diving in the Garden of the Queen aboard a liveaboard vessel. Trip was filmed late 2023. Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
Diving with Crocs & Sharks
zhlédnutí 382Před 6 měsíci
Coolest thing Freddy has seen underwater. What is it really like to dive with Sharks and Crocodiles. 00:00 Intro 00:23 Coolest thing you have seen underwater 01:18 Feeding Sharks 01:58 Is it you with the Crocodiles 02:22 Crocodile bites my camera Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
You Have Too Much Air in Your BC
zhlédnutí 840Před 6 měsíci
Why air in your bcd is a bad thing. Did you know that you are meant to have zero air in your BCD? Freddy explains the facts. 00:00 Intro 00:33 Zero air in BC 00:38 I need air in my bc 00:52 We train you improperly 01:19 I want to convince you... 01:35 Proper weighting is key 01:52 Goal is to be neutral 02:35 Breathing normal 03:25 Why air in BC is bad 03:33 When you descend 04:05 When you ascen...
3 Problems with Regulators to Avoid
zhlédnutí 1,1KPřed 7 měsíci
Top 3 challenges people face with regulators and recommended fixes. 00:00 Intro 00:28 Breathability, Comfort, Fit 00:50 Not getting enough air 01:10 Rental Regulators Basic 02:27 Fit 03:15 Types of Mouthpieces 03:48 Comfort 04:09 Top reg accessory 05:03 Reg Stache Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
How much do you travel
zhlédnutí 200Před 7 měsíci
If you would like to travel with Freddy on a trip, check out his upcoming trips here. www.coralkeyscuba.com/group-trips Subscribe to our channel: czcams.com/users/leviathanscuba Visit our website: www.leviathanscuba.com
What's A BCD. Basics of modern BCD's.
zhlédnutí 286Před 8 měsíci
What's A BCD. Basics of modern BCD's.
What's A Bag All kinds of bags for everything scuba & snorkeling.
zhlédnutí 480Před 8 měsíci
What's A Bag All kinds of bags for everything scuba & snorkeling.
Difference Between Standard and Travel BDCs
zhlédnutí 1,3KPřed 8 měsíci
Difference Between Standard and Travel BDCs
Leviathan Scuba Bill Haddow The Oldest Scuba Diver Alive Interview
zhlédnutí 309Před 9 měsíci
Leviathan Scuba Bill Haddow The Oldest Scuba Diver Alive Interview
The thing is that many don’t understand, that an uncontrollable seizure at already something like 30m deep is a high probability to be fatal. Forget your buddy. He can’t help you in that situation without endangering himself - if he is bold enough he will manage to inflate your bcd a bit and stay close. But you will likely lose the mask and drown.
A few comments from a 10 year user if these fins. The colour designates buoyancy with black being negative and other colours being more buoyant. The design is specific and acts like a propeller. It was explained to me by a scubapro rep and by a professional rescue diver (former military) that the way to properly use these fins is to kick smaller and it does require less strain or exhertion. You may notice as I've experienced what happens is amazing...they act like actual propellers. The acceleration is insane and you never get tired. You also get a lot more thrust. I've been diving with people who have longer or more rigid fins and I've out paced them against mega currents and come up with more air. It's about technique using this design. Don't find the same way. Give it a try in your next review. Mine look as new as the day I bought them and after more than 500 dives I would buy them again. Maybe the older model is better than those made in recent years.
Yikes! I’ve had my snorkeling kit for seven days, but now I feel that I should take it into a dive shop to have them look at it on my face. I’m in a different situation, because I will have contact lenses in and I certainly DO NOT want water going in too much that would cause my contacts to come out!!! Of course, I expect that they might tell me it doesn’t fit, just to sell me one of theirs… I went the Amazon route, because of the orange colors! 🧡😆
Gee, I have a video for that. You can see if it fits right at home. Go get your mask and head to CZcams and check out how a mask is supposed to fit. Complete fitting guide. Extra tip for you. As a contact wearer, you can keep your contacts in your eyes if your mask comes off simply by squinting your eyes. Obviously you can't see very good but the upper and lower eyelids trap the contact against your eye and you can still see enough to get your mask back on or get to the surface. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching. Freddy
@@LeviathanScuba Oooooh, thank you!!! 👏🏽👏🏽 I actually took my mask to work and let my coworker see it on me, he’s a certified diver and he also wears contacts. He hadn’t mentioned the squinting though. It might just be one of those natural things for him and he just didn’t think to tell me. I’m getting contacts simply for my trip, but I hadn’t worn them faithfully since high school, I’m 49y/o. It’s been more than 6 years since I stopped getting them and I’ve never worn them in any water. 😵
95% of all the tanks around the world are yoke?? I would love to see the source of your statistics.
My survey was done in Caribbean, Fiji, Indonesia, South Pacific and America. I have been corrected for places like Egypt and I guess growing in Europe as well. I didn't state which was better, just more prominent. Thanks for reaching out. Freddy
More and more dive shops are replacing their Yoke valves by DIN valves plus DIN to Yoke Adapter, even in Asia. So they can handle both styles by just screwing that thing in or out. I definitely disagree with the 95% as well. I'm diving DIN and not one single time I had to use my Yoke adapter, diving in Egypt, Indonesia and the Philippines. Technically there is not even one reason why you should prefer Yoke.
I do agree that many are changing. My survey was done in Caribbean, Fiji, Indonesia, South Pacific and America. I have been corrected for places like Egypt and I guess growing in Europe as well. Thanks for watching. Freddy
95% ? Ok. Almost all of Europe is 95% DIN, Egypt 95% DIN... Love the chanel
Man, you are correct. My survey was done in Caribbean, Fiji, Indonesia, South Pacific and America. I have been corrected for places like Egypt and I guess growing in Europe as well. My point wasn't which was better just more prominent in the world. I do get side tracked thinking my audience is only in America. Not so today but global. Sorry for not including Europe or Egypt on my research. Thanks for keeping it real. Freddy
German here, enyoing your Videos, short Clarification DIN: Deutsche Industrie Norm = german industry standard
Thank you for the explanation. Sorry I butchered the language. Thanks for watching. Freddy
Last year my LDS recommended that I get a new regulator to replace my aging Mares MR22, which had a yoke valve. After doing some research I decided on an Atomic Z2 with a DIN valve. (As I understood it, the Z2 has the same breathing characteristics as the more expensive Atomic regulators and since I had the LDS put my Miflex hoses on the new regulator I didn't need the swivel.) The price of the DIN and yoke regulator was the same. All the places I dive use pro valves which convert between DIN and yoke. Here are the differences that I found. The DIN regulator is easier to travel with since it weighs less and is more compact. With DIN, responsibility for the o-ring shifts from the dive operator to the diver. And, you need to know what size o-ring your regulator uses. (Purchase before you need it.) My MR22 came with a quality dust cover. The Atomic came with a cheap ass dust cover that is only good for keeping dust out. Purchase a quality dust cover if you expect to dip your regulator in a rinse tank.
Great information. Thanks for sharing. Freddy
I think you missed one quite important difference between yoke and DIN, and that is that DIN is available for 300 bar tanks. 8 or 10 ltr 300 bar steel tanks are quite common in northern Europe for recreational divers. In Asia most tanks are AL80s with DIN valve, but they use them with a yoke adapter. The 95% is probably for the Americas. Other areas in the world are more mixed.
You are correct. My survey was done in Caribbean, Fiji, Indonesia, South Pacific and America. I have been corrected for places like Egypt and I guess growing in Europe as well. I sometimes forget my audience is global and not so much just America. I like the taste of crow now. Thanks for watching. Freddy
Great informational video!!
Thank you for the kind words. Hope it helps in some way. Take care, Freddy
Everywhere in Europe uses din and the Red Sea is all din, that’s a huge number of destinations and resorts. 95% doesn’t make sense at all. One major point is that with din, you have the o ring on your regs, with yoke, you rely on the o ring on the tank that could be in bad condition.
I'm not sure the Red Sea is all DIN. I dived there last year on yoke, albeit just on a discover scuba day trip. Agree in general though. My recent trip to Sicily was all DIN.
My survey was done in Caribbean, Fiji, Indonesia, South Pacific and America. I have been corrected for places like Egypt and I guess growing in Europe as well. Funny how people pick up on something that I didn't think was that important. Not a comment on which was better but how many locations we dive that don't have din. Thanks for watching. Freddy
Also if it is a DIN tank valve and they need an adapter for the diver using yoke, there are two orings on the adapter. One inside and one outside. My survey was done in Caribbean, Fiji, Indonesia, South Pacific and America. I have been corrected for places like Egypt and I guess growing in Europe as well.
I would disagree on 95% statement. It's more of 50/50 nowadays. On top of it - it's 2024 and any reputable dive shop uses a convertor valve by now. Main difference is the pressure, but if we talking about 3000psi - there is no difference. I have a yoke, my wife have a DIN , never had a problem with finding a tank.
ya but he's talking to the rec divers, who are thinking of buying a reg. Some get lost with which to get., when most people only really need yoke, and in the long run it will make thier lives easier to get that. I read all the DIN is technically better when i was looking for a reg and got a DIN with an adapter. but I'm realizing that I really only needed the yoke version since most of the time I'm renting tanks and i have to use the adapter all the time. I'm not tech, maybe one day I will be... but in no way will your first rec reg be your tech reg. so I'll second the make it easy on yourself and don't buy the "cream de la cream" as you start a sport.
@marcg2233 using DIN with adapter is essentially killing all the benefits of it. For rec diver the main difference probably will be who is responsible for o-ring. If you have yoke - dive shop problem. If you have din - your problem. I use yoke myself, I've seen few o-rings blow out here and there, but if you pay attention to it , you will not have a problem. I had shearwater transmitter blow up in my face few weeks back, and it's the best you can get , and it still can fail apparently.
exactly, I made that mistake cause I read the wrong info. (yay hindsight) what i'm saying his audience isn't tech divers but people getting into rec diving. it's not about which is better, but which will make the new divers life easier.
@marcg2233 I think in today's world , both will be easy. Convertor valves become a norm more and more. I like the DIN since it's a bit more compact, but not to the point where I'm gonna go thru trouble of selling my Yoke to buy DIN. Yoke is doing it's job just fine for me, my wife have a DIN just because that's was in stock and on sale when we got it.
@@amadeuss3341 I agree. If you mostly dive a location that uses DIN then a DIN regulator could make sense. But a new diver hunting a product would mostly be served with a Yoke. Again, not commenting on which is better just what most recreational divers might choose verses Tech diver. Thanks for making it a better conversation. Freddy
Hi Freddy and thank you for the video. I was just getting ready to change to DIN and now I"m rethinking it. I am a recreational diver but love wreck diving. I'm a big guy and sometimes the openings are tight. I have "banged" my first stage on the top of several openings, even though I'm really trying not to. I have this fear that I'll knock the reg right off of the valve. I have never seen anyone do that but I have heard others tell me they've seen it. I believe that is why cave divers use DIN exclusively. That coupled with the fact that 99% of recreational divers use short hoses, it would be difficult to quickly get some help for an emergency inside a wreck where space is tight and your dive buddy is behind you or in front of you. I would love to hear your thoughts on that?
here comes the real question, do you rent your tanks or own them? cause if you rent where you dive, you'll have to use an adapter and then you're back to square 1. If it will make you feel safer, and I totaly get that, I can see it make sence...but, if you do you have to account shelling out for new tanks as well or the benefits are nill. discalimer "I run a DIN with an adapter" cause I read the "they are stronger" blogs, but have yet to buy my own tank so i'm not seeing the benefit and wish I just bought a yoke.
@@marcg2233 Convenience really isn't a factor for me regarding renting tanks. 99% of my diving is around the world, esp. Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Just got back from Little Cayman and I noticed that they used the Yoke insert in DIN valves for those of us using Yoke. On one of my dives that O-Ring was bad and I had to get it changed before dropping in. For those using DIN, they just took the insert out for a native DIN setup. It would appear most dive resorts are going that direction and if so, I'd rather have DIN.
@@zstanman482 if that's the case cool, means I made the right choice, first time. I just need to start diving those resorts:) any recommendations?
@@marcg2233 Well, not knowing where you've been or what kind of diving you like, you have to go to Cozumel, kind of a "right of passage" for all divers, you'll love drift diving. I really liked Roatan (Honduras), Little Cayman was nice and a little known gem in the Dutch Caribbean is a little island called Saba that was really good. Can't recommend a liveaboard called "The Valentina" highly enough, where we dove The Sea of Cortez around La Paz, diving with Sea Lions was awesome. We're going to Bonaire in November, heard nothing but good things and we're going to Thailand in February. Happy to give a report on both of those when I get back. Happy diving!
@@zstanman482 thanks i'll check those for the next trip.
Black Mask Divers makes my favorite guard, it has thumb holes for hand guards
just got back into diving and this video just told me my wet suit was too big when i brought it overseas. but wait for it.. I think it fits now It was tight when i put it on a week ago. i now understand how it should fit. has not been in water in yrs but as you said will give some with water applied. thanks for all you do for scuba diving folks.
You must have the shrinking neoprene. Haha. If you can't get a suit that fits then fit the suit. Take care, Freddy
Nice clip. I tapped the thumbs 👍 button to feed the algorithm monsters.
Thanks, apparently they need to eat a lot. The numbers grew so fast with our first channel and now they go soooo sloooow. Thanks for watching. Take care. Freddy
I have been a split fin skeptic for many years, until recently when I tried a friend's Atomic split fins, on a shore dive in Okinawa. I then started watching reviews on various split fins including this one. I then started talking to people at the local dive shop, which doesn't sell Atomic, and they recommended the Scuba Pro Twin Jet Max fins. I told them about your review, and they explained that Scuba Pro completely redesigned their twin jet line. After trying a pair in their pool for about 30 minutes, I bought a pair and have used them on several dives. They might be slightly less efficient than the Atomics, but if they are I can't tell. I think reviews like this one and customer feedback might have caused them to fix their original abomination. I have formed my opinion but would love to see your take on the new design.
Honestly, in 2023 they discontinued the Twin Jet Fin. I haven't heard of a revamp design. I will look into it however. There were available Twin Jets in different colors that had different stiffness but even the stiffest was pretty weak in the propulsion department. I am very curious now if they have come out with a newer version. Thanks for the heads up. Freddy.
@@LeviathanScuba maybe they are old new stock and the salesman was just BSing me. I wish I could post a picture here. These fins have a tighter gap between the split halves and have composite panels built in to the fin halves.
@@chuckcull5674 Send me a picture. My email is Freddy@ckscuba.com. You have me curious. Sure they are the ScubaPro Twin Jet? Not, jetfin, aqua jet, or many other choices that have the word jet in them. Another strange part of this is that the TwinJet was monprene material. (Urathane). No composite material in the blade.
@@LeviathanScuba Picture sent to your email. let me know if you got it. You can see the Twin Jet Max Logo on the top of the fin.
SSI teaches for Deep Dive your BCD should give you 15kg lift when on the surface, so you could help your buddy and yourself comming up from the depth of 40m (should be 120ft in imperial) in an emergency. Its the only time i've read something like that and searched panically online before my first deep dive if my vest is good enough XD
So im looking to purchase a mask. Guess im screwed bracuse dont have rhe opportunity to try different masks on. Its way to far to drive and need ro rely on others information. Not so keen on spending 100-120$ and then it will leak or something and cant return it then. A good video regardless.
No you're not screwed. I can help eliminate some of the hassle for you. Help me see you in my minds eye. Male, Female? Narrow face, medium face, wide face. Asian? How tall are you? And would you say your face carries weight or are you very thin in the face meaning fat content. If you can send me a head shot I will give you some good choices that fit many faces. My email is Freddy@CKscuba.com. Hope to help you make it easy. Where in the world do you live (for shipping if in the US I can send). Take care, Freddy.
@@LeviathanScuba well im a male and would say normal towards larger face. Wouldnt say fat though. My ŵeight is around 268 lb and my height is 6.2ft And i can send you a profile pic sure NO worries. Would surely appreciate the help. Im in sweden so ordering from you is of course is a possibility .
And im caucasian. My face isnt thin either would say normal or towards abit wider Dont carry to much fat either. Im sending you a pic now on your e-mail.
So did u have time to look into my email and request. Wanted to order as soon as possible to be able to get a mask to this weekend if possible.
@@Justmakesomenoiz Just to make sure, are you Zion? If so then yes I sent it all. If not then I did not receive an email from you.
I have 3 sets of Apollo bio fins. Haven’t used them in 10 years. Took them out to the river for snorkeling. Easy on the joints and calves. Can swim against the current with these easily. Best fins ever.
I used to have those. They were the first to be made under the Natures Wings Patent. Very good but very heavy compared to the modern version made by Atomic. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Freddy
I’m going look the Atomic version up and maybe try them out. Thanks
I think the idea is great. I've only been on 7 dives and have my Open Water Certification and will be going for my Advanced Certification so I can experience Nitrox, be approved to go deeper and dabble in other aspects. As far as emergencies, my first dive ever, in less than 15 minutes, another diver was above me for some reason and their fin kicked my regulator out of my mouth and knocked my mask off at 40 feet. I remained calm and did everything I was taught less than an hour before to exhale, find my reg, take a breath, drop my reg and pull my mask off, get my reg back in my mouth and put my water filled mask back on. Everyone in the group was ahead of me and had no idea I was in trouble. I pulled it together and then had to chase after them all to catch up. That said, I would want my October as good as my main second stage. If my primary fails, my October is my primary. My question is on initial descent, would you use this to deflate your BCD like with a normal inflater hose over your head or use dump valves on your BCD? I agree that I would use it on final ascent or safety stops just to verify it always works properly qand be used to how it feels if I did HAVE to use it someday. I think your buddy would actually feel better using your primary that he knows was just working on you. What about if I use Nitrox and my buddy doesn't or vise versa. Could there be complications switching gases in the middle of a dive?
Such a great full comment. The think I like about it is that you are safe but you lived a great lesson. So many people take diving for granted as if nothing bad could ever happen. If you weren't self sufficient you might not be here now. (Thankfully you are). Um, the answer to your question about descent using it to deflate your bcd is a bit complicated simply because you are a newer diver. You will note in many of my videos I discuss not putting air in your bcd. If you do have air to hold you on the surface then it depends upon the make of your bcd. Why? because some have a cord inside your bcd hose that allows you to simply pull down on your inflator or secondary air source to open the dump valve. Still many require you to raise the inflator over your head to dump. I have the type with the cord inside and always use my dump valve to descend IF I have air in my bcd. What I am diving now has no bladder at all. Nothing to put air in. Can't hold a teaspoon of air. Just filming it to prove a point. Find my video that says you have too much air in your bc. Explains a lot more than I can put in text here. The nitrox is not even a concern. If you are safely diving nitrox then you are at safe depth. Your buddy would only be improved in an emergency situation by breathing nitrox. No complications in your out of air scenario. You would be surfacing and not going deeper so no problem. Thanks for watching, Freddy.
Watched few of your videos. I wish TDI/SDI courses would be written by you, that's how easy for me to understand the scuba subject (I am foreigner and just a beginner that started scuba at 51 years old). Huge THANK YOU!
Hi Freddy, all great examples. You nailed it!
Thank you for the kind words. On to the next one. Freddy
Awesome video! Thanks for the informative video
Kind words. Thank you. Freddy
I guess you'd solved what puzzled me for years... That Yellow splitfin you'd shown. was the "2nd version" of that brand and model. I'd used the "1st version" pretty much since it was released, and still using it today. 1st version was much stiffer, much heavier than 2nd version. General public didn't catch on during the 1st verion release, they bought 2nd version because good reputation from those who use the 1st version. Sadly, the manufacture changed the material and create a bad product that give bad reputation to the design. when you'd mentioned "1997 Nature Wing design" - that reminded me of one of my instructor at that time, who show me the "biofin" and that was supposed to be 'pre-production' model. that incident was in late 1997.
Yes, and to make it more confusing, they copied their own technology for the Jet Fin. So much technology has gone into modern fins that they are lighter, stronger, and better thrust today. Thanks for watching. More to come soon. Freddy
This was very informative. I'm a newer diver and have friends who are very experienced, and we had a great discussion after I got them to watch this! I can't wait for the buoyancy tips.😊
Coming soon. Thanks for watching. Being newer, is a great place to be. Very exciting when so much is new. Go slow and enjoy your journey. Thanks for watching. More to come soon. Freddy
With a smaller head, the tip about cutting the straps is helpful.
Why would a backplate and wing be considered “the wrong equipment”?
@MichaelGoodness, Backplate and Wing may not be the ideal choice for every dive you are trying to do. If you're going doubles, backplate is the right answer. Suppose, however, you are doing a warm water dive on a single tank. It is nice to have pockets, not worry about a crotch strap, carry ditchable weights, and have fully adjustable shoulder harnesses. All of these things are easier with a traditional style BCD. A backplate can be made to have all these things but then you've just spent way more effort to solve something that could have been done in one step. The best approach is to head to your local dive shop and tell the experts there what type of diving you are hoping to try. You will find that they, like Freddy here, have some great ideas to incorporate! He certainly has shared plenty of wisdom with me and I am better for it.
It is possible to dive any kind of equipment you want to. But, is it ideal for the type of diving you are going to do? Recreational diving and Technical diving are different in numerous ways. A backplate system is more customizable for technical needs. So being modular, you get the pieces you want for the dive you are doing. Example, would be if you were doing side mount, or twin tanks, etc. The manufacturers have created numerous set ups for divers that are comfortable, convenient and packaged to fit your need. That is how the back inflate travel BC was born. It gives the best parts of the back mounted bladders like a backplate design but they made it so very convenient and comfortable. Example would be easy adjustable padded straps instead of nylon webbing that you add pads to. They removed the crotch strap and made the waist strap fit so much better. Weight pockets or pouches built right in. I could go on and on. General rule of thumb is technical divers modify their back plate parts and pieces for technical diving. Recreational divers choose a bcd that best fits their style of diving. But, You can obviously do anything you want to. That is the beauty of our sport with the options available to us. Thanks for watching. Freddy
@@David-ij4bf I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks for joining in and making it a community answer. Thanks for watching. Freddy
@@David-ij4bf I wish I could hire you. You said it perfectly. Thanks for being eyes and ears on the topic. More to come soon, Freddy.
Thanks a Lot 💯/💯👏👏👏👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽For all the Safety TIPS and Precious Reminder 💯/💯
Makes us all better. Thank you for the response. More to come soon. Freddy
I was certified last yr, they don't even talk about or go over tables. It's computer only now
Great tips! My wetsuit, 5mm, arrived this morning, I'm struggling to put it on, really it's nasty, but it fits me just right. I feel the snug and it doesn't cut off circulation. I just hope it gets enough give over time so I don't spend half my energy and a lotta time just to put a wetsuit on.
Now get yourself some very slippery dive socks. It is a well kept secret. They are such a luxury and your suit legs glide on like butter. You can look up our video on dive socks if your not sure what they are. Cheap and help a lot. Thanks for watching. Freddy
@@LeviathanScuba Thanks! I sure am gonna get me one of those.
Hi Freddy!!! What a greeeeat video you made here, congratulations, your vibe is awesome for tutorials, you have great entonation so it is very understandable what you say (I'm from Mexico, Spanish speaker with some profesional English voc. -- Note: love your shirt! 😉). and I really appreciate your detailed explanation as I'm little fresher on garment buying, I have the Open Waters but haven't yet got my first gear and I'm trying to find the best options for my needs as keep me warm, protected from jellyfish and corals and all is there I may don't even know about, as well as practicality to wear, travel, helper if there's an unseen situation and I need to be seen (black may not help in here as we want to be very visible, right?) , etc, etc... I didn't even know you can wear this under the wetsuit and would feel fine and helpful. Sooooooo: MANY THANKS TO YOU and lots of blessings for you and your channel from MX!! 😊
Im not understand. This is Ear plug with hole?
So, a person cannot scuba dive at depth with an earplug. Yet, These you can. Why, because they have a laser (very tiny) hole in them. They are not meant to keep the water out completely. They are meant to stop the flow of water in and out of the ear. Purpose is to allow you to equalize as you descend and keep the water that gets in inside the ear to warm up. A warm ear drum equalizes easier than a cold one. You might watch the video again now that I have explained. It will make sense. Take care, Freddy.
@@LeviathanScuba thank you.
wow! thank you for the lengthy and informative information! i love how you explain and i really find it helpful! :) Thank you!
Key word lengthy. Just couldn't fit it all in with a 15 minute video. You are kind. Thanks for watching. Freddy
Thanks alot very informative video
I would love to buy my gear from this guy! Thanks for a great video!
can you post some mask recommendations? thank you
The first and most important thing is not a mask that I might recommend but a mask that fits properly. That being said, Almost any mask that TUSA makes fits a majority of people and is absolutely one of the highest quality manufacturers there are. Atomic is great quality but are particular to the face they fit. XS Scuba masks are also affordable, quality and the Seaclear, Monarch or Spectre fits a lot of people. Don't buy a great mask if it doesn't fit. You will regret it I promise. Thanks for watching, Freddy.
I don't understand the question. What does that mean? "Enough"?
I have 2 computers simply because they are charged up with a special magnetic lead. I lost the lead for the first one and couldn't buy a lead by itself. I love that computer so I bought a new one which, obviously, came with a charger. Needless to say, a couple of weeks after I bought the new computer, I found the lead for the old one. Typical! Simplicity is the key for me. I only take what I know I'll need on a dive, usually just a dsmb, torch and camera, which all fit in thigh pockets, and a knife attached to my waistband. I've never had to use the knife - it's my only "just in case" bit of kit. I don't have the spare brain capacity for more than that! I want to spend my time underwater just diving, not faffing about with "stuff". I do find, though, that the longer you dive, the more streamlined your kit becomes as you learn what things are important and which aren't.
Very well said. I wish I had addressed the part about the longer you dive the more streamlined you become. Great reply. Thank you for watching. More to come soon. Freddy
This was an amazing video! Thank you! With you guidance I just realized my mask, which I just wore on holiday in Greece was ill fitting. This video was just what I was looking for! Question about prescription lenses: Will my options be limited because my prescription has a cylinder (for astigmatism) in it? They are in different axis as well. I assume that at the very least custom ground lenses will be required. Another way of asking the question is: are there any limits to what prescription you can fit into a dive mask?
The basic answer is no problem on the prescription. The more detailed answer is, Some masks require adding lenses, others require replacing lenses. This can depend on the severity of the prescription as you may have guessed. I haven't seen a limit yet of the strength of the prescription. My advice is find your proper fitting mask first. Then whomever does your prescription can make a difference. Why? Because it depends on which company or companies they use. We decide where we send it depending upon the situation, strength, type of mask etc. Some companies only use 1 supplier, or the manufacturer of the mask. (We do not use the manufacturer for custom prescriptions because they pre make lenses in generic prescriptions. So some of them are close but not perfect.) For a ground lens, be prepared for a current 2024 price to be $150 - $240 US dollars. If they are replacing your masks lenses I recommend keeping the original non prescription lenses because you never know... You may change prescriptions or have Lasic surgery to correct your vision. Happens all the time. Often later after retiring your style mask, the manufacturer cannot get you original replacement lenses. Hope this helps. Thank you for watching. More to come soon. Freddy
@@LeviathanScuba oh my, this answer exceeded my expectation! Thank you so much for taking the time, giving me such a detailed and nuanced answer! I appreciate it! When I found out about Tusa masks and their interchangale prescription lenses, I got excited, then I saw they didn't correct for astigmatism, so I went to my optometrist, to see if I can compansate for the astigmatism by increasing the power of the sphere; apparently, this is a possibilty. I tried it and It didn't look good (particularly because the cylinders are off-axis) and he told me that custom would cost around 650 USD, but they use Carl Zeiss lenses, I believe, and the price includes the mask (not sure how that works..). Regardless, I will take all I learned in this video and put it to good use! Yes, it certainly did help, including your take on spitting to defog (which I learned on a guided dive in the red sea by the instructor). I'll refrain from spitting from now on. Take care kind sir!
I have a Shearwater Perdix 2 with an AI transmitter. I do rec dives. Going to do my advanced and want to do dives down to 130 ft. Do you think I should have an SPG too? I’ve dove with some shops and when I asked about the SPG they talked to me like I was a bit dumb saying “what do you need that for? You have an AI transmitter”.
Even when you jump out of an airplane with a parachute you have a back up parachute.
@@johnfair62 Congratulations on comparing apple & oranges. You have a back up parachute when jumping out of a plane because if your main fail, you will die. If your AI or SPG fail, you can always abort your dive and you can freely surface. A more appropriate scuba comparison with parachute is redundancy in cave diving, penetration wreck diving, deco diving etc. You have a ceiling (artificial or physical) that prevents you from surfacing there and then if something goes wrong or break. You still need to be able to breath or find your way out. To OP, you don't need it, but there's nothing stopping you (and many in fact do). Go with what makes you feel most comfortable.
My answer may be different than other divers. But as said in the video... If you don't have an spg and your computer fails, are you dead? No. I trust my computer with my life. 5000+ dives and I do not use a spg. Has my battery ever died on a computer? Yes, and sometimes I do it on purpose to test a new computer. Still, no spg. These different scenarios have culminated in this video. I feel like most possible scenarios could be covered by this video. Might be good to watch again with your exact question in mind. Might hear something new. Thanks for watching. More to come soon. Freddy
@@johnfair62 Not the same thing my friend. Absolute death without a backup. I too would carry a spare chute. But two dive computers when it is just a minor inconvenience if the first one fails? Yeah, not for me. If for you then there is nothing wrong with that. Thanks for watching. Freddy.
@@chankwanting Great answer. I can't agree more. Thanks on making it a community answer. Take care, Freddy
Can you use these in combination with a hood?
Yes. No problem at all. Freddy
I would like to ask if you have ever used these ear plugs while wearing a hood. I have problems with water in my ears and wanted to know if I could use both to minimize the chance of water getting in my ears.
Yes, but they do not keep water out of your ears. They have tiny lazer holes in them to allow water to enter at about 15 feet. They equalize with the water pressure.
No more taking of Abalone in California.
True? Wow, such good memories for me when I was a kid. And I like it with butter and garlic roasted on a fire. Or cut into strips in chowder. Thanks for the update. Freddy
redundancy is never a bad thing. Remember, it’s not always for you but maybe for a dive buddy especially things like mask they are cheap and easy to pack
But where do you draw the line? No idea. The thing I forget will be the thing I need. I know there will be many people that do carry redundant gear. No problem at all. Peace of mind is extremely valuable. Thanks for watching, Freddy.
that's why I bring a backup buddy.
How many dives would you justify to buy gear or how often?
Covered in the video pretty well but it does depend on where you are renting. We go into different rates in different countries. 3 - 4 trips is a good target. Thanks for watching. Freddy
I dive sidemount and have 2 computers so I’m my own buddy, essentially, and the trim and time I have is great. And a bum bag with a 2nd mask has been useful, BUT it is for technical diving to your point. Before, as a recreational diver, no hassles ever with good quality well maintained equipment
Yeah man, I have the same scenario. Tech would be foolish to avoid redundancy. Thanks for watching, Freddy.
What do you recommend if I run zero lead and still sink like a rock with a 3mm suit in salt water?
My guess would be that you might hold more air in your lungs. I can compensate for a 10lb difference with just my lungs. In the rare case you still cannot achieve neutral buoyancy, you could add some air in your bcd. Also, I have seen people put chunks of pool noodles in their pockets or around their bcd strap. Eat more twinkies and pizza and you won't have that problem. Hope it helps. Freddy
@coralkeyscuba haha.....I was actually thinking of pool noodle chunks. I won't be going the gain extra flotation via twinkies and pizza tho!
Got any inside goss about why Oceanic stopped making and selling their V6 split fins? They were, by far, the fastest fins I've ever used .. and also the least tiring. Those who say they are useless for frog kicks & manoeuvre have never tried to use them for Underwater Hockey.
When they sold them they were one of two that had splits. The market was great and they sold well. As fin design and materials changed, the V6 gave way to better materials, lighter models and the Strap version fit more people. Plus, many knock offs diluted the market and numerous brands started selling splits. You can still get them but they are not exactly as you may remember.
I'm not sure there's anything superior to the old Oceanic V6s. Only the Atomics come close but are larger and not as fast for me. But then I used to be fast with Mares Avanti Quattros but no longer have the leg muscles for them. What do you recommend to replace V6s?
Well put together video and a pleasure to watch. My wife and I will be there in November. Can't wait!
You will enjoy it. More sharkey than in 2018 so it is improving. I also will have a part 2 to this video coming out before you go. Have fun. Freddy